Table 1 Agenda for pragmatic trials across the cancer continuum interactive workshop
Workshop session | Format and brief description |
|---|---|
Background and purpose of the workshop | Brief presentation orienting attendees to the overall purpose of the workshop, its applicability to advancing research along the cancer control continuum, and how trials along the explanatory-pragmatic continuum fit within the mission statements of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences and the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Institute. |
Introduction to explanatory and pragmatic trials | Expert presentation providing a brief overview of randomized controlled trials, detailed explanation of how trials differ in attitude and purpose along the explanatory-pragmatic continuum, and illustrative examples of explanatory and pragmatic trials in health research. |
PRECIS-2: a tool for planning trials | Expert presentation describing PRECIS-2, including why and how it was developed, walk-through of visual representation (PRECIS-2 wheel), steps for how to use the PRECIS-2 tool, explanation of the nine domains for scoring trials along the explanatory-pragmatic continuum with illustrative examples in cancer research, and review of key resources. |
Small-group activity #1 | Small-group interactive session with facilitated discussion. Groups were provided with a copy of one of three cancer-focused trials from the peer-reviewed literature. One trial was more pragmatic, one trial was more explanatory, and one trial had aspects of both. Two groups were assigned the same trial. Through discussions, each group scored the PRECIS-2 domains for one trial and identified corresponding text that reflected their score. |
Full-group report-out #1 and discussion | Full-group report-out with facilitated discussion. Each small group presented domain scores and corresponding text for their assigned trial to the full group of attendees. Divergent scores between the two groups assigned to the same trial were discussed, as were domains that were particularly challenging to rate. |
Small-group activity #2 | Small-group interactive session with facilitated discussion. Each group received the same three documents: copy of article of explanatory trial, copy of pre-populated PRECIS-2 scoring table, and copy of blank PRECIS-2 scoring table. Participants were asked to provide suggestions for how to make the trial more pragmatic. |
Full-group report-out #2 and discussion | Full-group report-out with facilitated discussion. Each group presented suggestions for how to make the trial more pragmatic for each of the nine PRECIS-2 domains. Experts moderated the discussion. |
Open discussion and workshop conclusion | Open Q&A and discussion format with all participants and experts. |